WTC Final: How India’s bowling fell to pieces on Day 1

For excited Indian fans, the Day 1 of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final against Australia has proved to be a dampener. More than disappointment, it’s the feeling of bewilderment that seems to linger on.

Captain Rohit Sharma won the toss at The Oval amid overcast conditions and 6mm grass on the pitch, so how come Australia finished the day on 327/3?

Australia’s batting or rather India’s poor bowling has allowed the Pat Cummins-led side to take full control of the proceedings as conditions continue to favour pacers.

Related Articles

WTC Final 2023: Date, Time, Telecast, Squads and Live Streaming; India and Australia’s record at the venue

WTC Final 2023: How Team India fielders are preparing for the wicked deviation in English conditions?

Change bowlers hurt India

India were on the up as the day began. Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj reveled in the conditions and the first 12 overs, in which they bowled together, accounted for just 29 runs including the wicket of Usman Khawaja who got out on a duck.

But things took a turn once India went to their first change pacer.

Umesh Yadav bowled a half-volley on his very second ball that was slammed for a four by Warner.

Shardul Thakur came in from the other end and was hit for a four by Marnus Labuschagne on a half-volley.

Then came the over that signalled the shift of momentum.

In the 15th over, Warner hit Yadav for four boundaries, three consecutive and all on wide of off deliveries.

Just before Lunch, India got lucky with Warner’s dismissal as the opener edged the pull shot to keeper KS Bharat.

On return, Shami and Siraj were called back into action and it led to an immediate result. On his first delivery after lunch, Shami got the ball to seam back in from a fuller length to clean up Marnus Labuschagne.

India were delighted but the happiness lasted only for a few overs as it was the last wicket to fall on the day.

Every time India changed their bowlers, the result was runs and a release of pressure.

Shardul and Yadav gave away 129 runs together in 32 overs at an economy of 4.05. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja, though useful at times in tying up things, eventually conceded 48 in 14 overs at an economy of 3.4.

India also made some tactical errors. Like Yadav and Jadeja starting after Tea when batters are generally vulnerable after a break. Rohit was quick to realise this error and Shami was called back three overs after tea.

Travis Head shines

With an innings of 146 off just 156 balls at a strike rate of 81.91, Head was single-handedly responsible for Australia taking a super strong position at the Stumps on Day 1.

The left-hander was dropped in the very first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year in India despite his marvelllous form since November last year. He made a return in the second Test and scored 49 not out in the only Test that the Aussies won on the tour.

Since November 2022, Head has scored 906 runs in 14 innings, has an average of 82.36 and a strike rate of 86.28.

Head has always been an attacking player but his aggression has often led to him losing his place in the side. On Wednesday, it was his attacking instinct that bailed Australia out in the second session and allowed them to get into the driver’s seat at the Stumps.

Should Ashwin have played?

The easy answer to this question is YES.

Also in hindsight, leaving him out of the bowling attack looks like a massive blunder. But the team management felt it was the right decision keeping the condition in mind.

“It is always a very difficult decision to drop a champion bowler like him (Ashwin). Looking at the conditions in the morning we thought an additional seamer would be beneficial,” India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said at the end of Day 1’s play.

“It has also worked in the past for us. Seamers have done well out here for us. You can always look back and say that additional spinner would have been beneficial but we took the call looking at the conditions.”

Legendary Sunil Gavaskar had another opinion and slammed Team India for leaving out Ashwin.

“India missed a trick by not playing Ravi Ashwin. He’s the No. 1 Ranked bowler. You don’t look at the pitch for players like him. You are playing a World Test Championships final, and you don’t pick the number one bowler in Test cricket. This decision from Team India is beyond my understanding. I would have picked him in place of Umesh Yadav, who was out of action and looks out of rhythm,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

The opinions are polar opposites and it’s possible you belong to the group that feels Ashwin should have played.

But how effective he would have been on a pitch where Jadeja, who is also always very useful, failed is impossible to guess.

Team India went with their past experiences.

Ashwin was omitted from the squad when India played in England in 2021 and won two out of four Tests with one ending in a draw.

The experiment to play two spinners had also backfired in the WTC Final 2021 against New Zealand.

Maybe now you will feel, Team India didn’t do too wrong in leaving out Ashwin, but it was the bowling of Yadav, Shardul and Jadeja on Day 1 that left a feeling of bewilderment.

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.